T.O.M. saddle screw and saddle orientation?

[man-in-moon]

I know this has been discussed before. But why do some guitars have the saddles screws adjustment toward the neck and some are not? I went to resting my SG standard and noticed the heads of the screws are facing the tailpiece.
But other guitars with a similar setup are facing toward the bridge pickup.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: T.O.M. saddle screw and saddle orientation?

The "typical" rule is that on ABR-1 bridges, the screws face the pickups and on Nashville bridges the screws face the tail piece. With regard to the ABR, the reason the screws face the pickups is so the strings don't hit them as they break to the tail piece. That usually isn't an issue on a Nashville, since its designed differently.

The ABR is narrower than the Nashville as well and to me it seems that ABR screws stick out more, but that may just be my imagination. The main thing you don't won't is the strings hitting the screws or the back of the tailpiece.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: T.O.M. saddle screw and saddle orientation?

I face mine to the tailpiece
So I don't have to reach over the pickup to adjust it

Most of the adjusting gets done once with the tailpiece low
After it's set
I raise my tailpiece back up where it's in the way again

I hate moving the pickup to adjust it

That's me
Some folks may do it different
It's whatever makes it better for you

Shouldn't affect intonation or anything

 

[texred]

Re: T.O.M. saddle screw and saddle orientation?

I face mine to the tailpiece
So I don't have to reach over the pickup to adjust it

Most of the adjusting gets done once with the tailpiece low
After it's set
I raise my tailpiece back up where it's in the way again

I hate moving the pickup to adjust it

That's me
Some folks may do it different
It's whatever makes it better for you

Shouldn't affect intonation or anything

The heads of screws on bridge are about 1/2 from pup. WHAT am I supposed to do with that? I know, I'll send it to Jeff.

So just flip em around when the time comes?

 

[texred]

Re: T.O.M. saddle screw and saddle orientation?

The "typical" rule is that on ABR-1 bridges, the screws face the pickups and on Nashville bridges the screws face the tail piece. With regard to the ABR, the reason the screws face the pickups is so the strings don't hit them as they break to the tail piece. That usually isn't an issue on a Nashville, since its designed differently.

The ABR is narrower than the Nashville as well and to me it seems that ABR screws stick out more, but that may just be my imagination. The main thing you don't won't is the strings hitting the screws or the back of the tailpiece.

Let me start over: by "face", what do we mean? I may have this backwards.

 

[Ayrton]

Re: T.O.M. saddle screw and saddle orientation?

The main thing you don't won't is the strings hitting the screws or the back of the tailpiece.

Jeff is correct that the "traditional" way was screws toward the neck. However as long as the strings are not resting on the bridge, it really makes no difference.

 

[texred]

Re: T.O.M. saddle screw and saddle orientation?

Jeff is correct that the "traditional" way was screws toward the neck. However as long as the strings are not resting on the bridge, it really makes no difference.

Thanks. Have this Dean w/screw heads 1/2 inch from bridge pickup. Not too much room to tailpiece either.

 

[SAguitar]

Re: T.O.M. saddle screw and saddle orientation?

I raise my tailpiece back up where it's in the way again

That's me
Some folks may do it different
It's whatever makes it better for you

It's getting kinda personal around here today, but whatever you wanna do with your tailpiece is your business!

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: T.O.M. saddle screw and saddle orientation?

It's getting kinda personal around here today, but whatever you wanna do with your tailpiece is your business!

Thank you sir for your tolerance of my alternative tailpiece behaviour

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: T.O.M. saddle screw and saddle orientation?

You can turn most bridges of that style any way you want. Some manufacturers put them one way, and some put them another. Also, previous owners and techs might have flipped them at any point, on purpose or on accident.

So, face the bridge whichever way you prefer, balancing your preferences for screw access and break angle. I would, however, make sure that *if* your saddles have one flat face and one angled face (like on your typical ABR-1), that you place the flat faces toward the neck, except when the proper intonation setting requires having the flat surface facing the other way.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: T.O.M. saddle screw and saddle orientation?

You can turn most bridges of that style any way you want. Some manufacturers put them one way, and some put them another. Also, previous owners and techs might have flipped them at any point, on purpose or on accident.

So, face the bridge whichever way you prefer, balancing your preferences for screw access and break angle. I would, however, make sure that *if* your saddles have one flat face and one angled face (like on your typical ABR-1), that you place the flat faces toward the neck, except when the proper intonation setting requires having the flat surface facing the other way.

My Tom bridges have 1st three one way and the last three the other way

Where I could I swapped them for rollers go at eases that break angle thing
And helps with keeping in tune
Not binding on the grooves of the saddles and such

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: T.O.M. saddle screw and saddle orientation?

My Tom bridges have 1st three one way and the last three the other way

Where I could I swapped them for rollers go at eases that break angle thing
And helps with keeping in tune
Not binding on the grooves of the saddles and such

Many come that way. You can usually flip them any way you want (which is what I was suggesting).

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: T.O.M. saddle screw and saddle orientation?

The heads of screws on bridge are about 1/2 from pup. WHAT am I supposed to do with that? I know, I'll send it to Jeff.

So just flip em around when the time comes?

I set it with the screws towards the neck just because that's how I'm used to setting them up. However, now that I think about it the bridge on that guitar is a Nashville TOM I believe, so facing the screws toward the tail piece is "traditional" or "normal" if you will, whatever normal is.

Having them face the neck doesn't bother me, as I can adjust them fine with a proper small screwdriver.... without having to move the pickups. I also don't have to adjust them often enough for it to be a pain, for me.

If you need any help, just send me a note.

 

[GibSG]

Re: T.O.M. saddle screw and saddle orientation?

Here is the Gibson saddles setup on Les Paul and SG , ABR-1 bridge

 

[texred]

Re: T.O.M. saddle screw and saddle orientation?

I set it with the screws towards the neck just because that's how I'm used to setting them up. However, now that I think about it the bridge on that guitar is a Nashville TOM I believe, so facing the screws toward the tail piece is "traditional" or "normal" if you will, whatever normal is.

Having them face the neck doesn't bother me, as I can adjust them fine with a proper small screwdriver.... without having to move the pickups. I also don't have to adjust them often enough for it to be a pain, for me.

If you need any help, just send me a note.

Oh, I will! I was just cruising around learning stuff at random. I see no reason for that issue to come up hopefully in my lifetime. I'm with John Mayer: "I don't even do my own set ups. I don't care about that side of the guitar, I just care about this side". Doesn't really make sense, but hey, it sounded good when he said it! I do have a NOW question for you (embarrassing, but I don't trust net). Doing chromatics, am I supposed to hold down first finger while hitting next fret, etc? That is freakin hard.

 

[man-in-moon]

Re: T.O.M. saddle screw and saddle orientation?

Good deal I will leave it alone. Everything seems to be working as it should. Just need to tweak the intonation a little. Get a better nut and rip out the stupid circuit board.